The cries of 'hes done it again, another masterpiece' would and have followed Hayao Miyazaki's latest, The Boy and The Heron. But the illusion that every film now made by animation studio is worthy of this title is starting to fade. The resounding success of Studio Ghibli, in particular the films by Hayao Miyazaki, have made them popular around the globe. Every time Miyazaki announces his retirement the film world eagerly awaits his 'final film' and it's always praised without question.
Yet, The Boy and the Heron doesn't feel like a last hurrah, or acclamation of a brilliant filmmaker showing us he still has stories to tell. The film lacks direction, consistency and a coherent story. There seem to be too many ideas crammed into one and this time, the as always, beautiful animation, doesn't make up for this. There is a sense of desperation to say everything all at once, this isn't just shown in the story but through characters, the man in the tower trying to balance everything out. It could be too much to view this as Miyazaki himself. Not willing to let go and feel as if he's running out of time.
There are indeed some amazing images alongside the more visceral and quite grotesque. The tower itself is fantastic, but the various time travel parralell universes behind doors is too much. Making the story about a boy, who misses his mother but is trying to find his aunt who will be his new mother is also, slightly over complicated. Hardcore Miyazaki fans will get something out of the film and those who have enjoyed previous films may seen some value but, this isn't really for a younger audience and for those just starting to discover Ghibli. It's a shame as the first half if the film felt so promising.